Boeing–Dassault Deal Deepens, Netfabb 2019 Released, and More

We’re nearing the end of July, which can only mean one thing: it’s time to explore this month’s CAD news. Welcome to the latest edition of World of CAD, where we round up some of the most important stories from the design software industry.

In this month’s edition, we’ll start off with some business news, as Boeing extend their partnership with French CAD giant Dassault Systèmes. We’ll then move onto competitors Autodesk, who struck back this month with the newest version of their additive manufacturing software Netfabb.

Next, our attention shifts to Simufact, whose partnership with Ampower spells big improvements for their simulation package Simufact Additive. Then, our final July story takes a closer look at the new 3D model store from Sketchfab. Let’s begin!

Expansion of the Boeing–Dassault Systèmes partnership

Aviation behemoths Boeing have graced the pages of Scan2CAD before. In fact, it was almost a year ago that the company signed a billion-dollar agreement with Dassault Systèmes, one of the world’s leading CAD software manufacturers. This month, however, saw that partnership taken to new levels, as Boeing agreed to deploy Dassault’s 3DEXPERIENCE platform to more sectors of their business than ever before.

The 3DEXPERIENCE program lies at the heart of Dassault Systèmes‘ business strategy, which has seen them move away from traditional CAD software towards industry-focused ‘experiences’: suites that unite the most pertinent elements of various Dassault programs for an individual sector.

Following the new agreement, Boeing plans to make extensive use of the Winning Program, Co-Design to Target, Ready for Rate, Build to Operate and License to Fly experiences. In doing so, it aims to bolster its capabilities across a range of fields, including engineering, analysis, manufacturing planning and end-to-end digital collaboration.

Key board members of both businesses hailed the deal. Bernard Charlès, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Systèmes, stated that he was proud to work alongside a company which “not only leads the way in its own industry, but influences the progress of all industries across modern society”. For his part, CIO of Boeing Ted Colbert said that “the value of this extended strategic partnership is a mutual desire to transform how Boeing connects, protects, explores and inspires the world”. Visit the Dassault newsroom for full details on the deal.

Autodesk’s Netfabb gets an overhaul for the future

One of the most interesting CAD-related fields this month was that of additive manufacturing, which saw several major developments. The first comes from a company that never fails to hit the headlines: Autodesk. This month, they’ve grabbed column inches by announcing the release of Netfabb 2019, the latest version of the popular AM and design software.

One key new feature coming to Netfabb 2019 is a dramatic change in how users access their machines, with the aim of helping users to select different 3D printers with ease. It also helps keep things neat and orderly with the introduction of the ability to group machines, such as by separating production and prototype machines, single-laser or multi-laser, or in any grouping the user desires.

Meanwhile, more users will be able to access Lattice Commander. This feature had previously only been available to those who had subscribed to Netfabb’s Ultimate tier; now, Premium users have access to the tool, though Standard users are still missing out. The tool itself has also undergone several changes, including a new three-tab user interface, a grid overlay, and a consolidation of latticing tools into one section of the project tree.

Other improvements include a new support action, which allows users to delete generated supports based on criteria, alongside the ability to generate processing parameter files on the cloud when simulating. If you’re involved in additive manufacturing, this is one update you won’t want to miss. Learn more about the new release at Autodesk.

New deal provides boost for Simufact Additive

When it comes to additive manufacturing software, Autodesk isn’t the only show in town. Another key player is Simufact Engineering—and this month, they inked a new partnership with Ampower in a bid to bolster their position as one of the leading AM software manufacturers.

The company’s simulation package, Simufact Additive, allows users to optimize their laser powder bed fusion processes to ensure that they manufacture their products right—first time. It’s easy to see why this is so valuable—after all, in metal AM, industries can’t afford to waste even a small amount of powder. By ensuring that perfect build, Simufact Additive is an incredibly powerful tool.

Ampower, a leading additive manufacturing consultancy firm, fits into the puzzle by helping clients work out which components are right to be manufactured using AM processes. The company has now adopted Simufact Additive software, in a move which they believe will allow them to help customers to optimize their production.

More broadly, however, the companies aim to use the new partnership to bring simulation software to more manufacturers than ever before. In turn, they hope to transform the industry as a whole, increasing efficiency and reducing waste. Check out the Simufact press release for more information.

Buy and sell 3D models with the new Sketchfab Store

There’s always plenty of satisfaction to be gained by creating your own 3D CAD model. Creating absolutely everything from scratch, however, simply isn’t feasible for most of us. That’s why sites offering CAD blocks—or, better yet, 3D CAD models—are a godsend. Joining that list this month is Sketchfab Store, a new site which allows users to buy and sell 3D models.

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because Sketchfab is already a big name in the world of CAD models. In fact, since 2012, more than a million users have joined the Sketchfab community, sharing a massive 3 million 3D models since that date.

The launch of the Sketchfab store provides new incentives for that community to continue creating amazing 3D models for fields as diverse as 3D printing, VR/AR, animation and beyond. For those selling their work, the ability to monetise their creations is a clear pro. Those looking to buy from the store, meanwhile, will find thousands of excellent models and textures, all available royalty-free.

Making the store even more enticing is the fact that it allows users to inspect models from all angles, as well as the support for VR and AR offered by the Sketchfab viewer. If you’d like to see what’s already on offer, head over to the Sketchfab Store to check it out for yourself.

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About Andy

I'll be writing on a range of topics, from file types and conversion techniques to tech news and art. When I'm not at my desk, I'm usually either wandering about the rainy north of England or (as often as possible!) jetting off to the warmer climes of Europe.